I've been a full time photographer for the past 6 years and an avid Ozbargainer for the past 2. Occasionally I see photography gear related posts with plenty of +1's and thought this might be a good opportunity to lend some knowledge/advice. I'm not up to speed on what models/lenses to recommend but ask me anything.
[AMA] I'm a Professional Photographer, Ask Me Anything
LDestin on 15/09/2018 - 20:37
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I use two different systems depending on the application.
Camera One (Film):
Fuji GX617 w/ 90mm f5.6Camera Two (Digital):
Phase One XF IQ3 100MP w/ Schneider Kreuznach 45mm AF f/3.5 LSI sell prints rather charging per job. The median price is usually around $1500
The median selling price for your prints is $1500?! What size/material are you printing on?
My most common print size is 20x60in and printed on Fuji Crystal Archive paper.
Do you think Samsung NX will ever make a come back?
If not what would you swing to having 4 NX lenses 18-55mm 45mm 22mm (50-250 need to check)
Just starting to get into it when they folded and never returned.Unlikely, they were one of the first mirrorless systems. Sony now dominates the mirrorless market and more competitors are entering (Nikon and Canon). Samsung has never had a massive camera division.
Not all hope is lost. It seems there is still ambition within the company for sensor development so their imaging division is very much alive and kicking.
From the article it looks like their sensor development will be aimed at things other than cameras (phones, vehicle automation sensors, third parties etc)
@DestinSparks: Phone camera sensors and "camera" camera sensors are the same thing, designed to give the average consumer good photo capabilities. The only difference is what accessories you can use with them. The point is, their imaging division is alive and well, so it doesn't take that much of a pivot for them to start producing purpose built cameras again if the market demands are there (though the space is mighty crowded right now). Still, stranger things have happened, and there are some question marks over how Olympus will respond to Canikon as well as Pan-Leica releasing high end mirroless gear, so it is not out of the realm of possibilities for them to seek an external partner to launch something innovative with another reputable partner, or if Xiaomi/Yi decided to contract Samsung to make their sensors (The Yi M1 currently uses a Sony sensor) etc.
What professional level DSLR would you suggest if money is no object
It must be 'worth the money', ie not just 1% better from the closest competitor which is a few hundred dollars cheaperFor the typical consumer I would be looking towards the Nikon D850 for a full body DSLR, otherwise a Sony A7R III for a mirrorless. When you're looking into the higher end of the market all brands/models are capable of producing quality photographs, ultimately it comes down to the users requirements/preferences.
Where can I get Canon branded photo paper cheaper than bhphotovideo.com? And what do you think of the iPhone XS camera, good enough for some of the work you do at the end of the day?
I'm not familiar with the prices of Canon photo paper but you could try Image Science in Melbourne. It's the shipping that hurts the wallet from B&H. Regarding the iPhone XS, camera phones have come along in leaps and bounds but they will never replace a DSLR. Good quality lighting is what will make or break a photograph.
If you just wanted some pictures of food or women’s haircuts for a flyer, small runs of 10,000, would the iPhone be fine?
Obviously a DSLR will yield a better result but you could certainly use an iPhone. It would depend on your expectations. Again, lighting here is key, you will need plenty of soft light, not direct sunlight. Also ensuring you keep the phone steady for the best result.
What kind of photography do you do?
Weddings, special events, sports or wild life?I specialise in Panoramic Landscape Photography but have dabbled in some architecture.
Care to share some? I'm looking to buy digital art from Lumas but ones I like are over a grand atleast. Do you know any bargains sites for digital art?
The easiest place to view some of my recent work is via Instagram @DestinSparks.
There are some more commercial sites for Digital Art such as Red Bubble and Fine Art America. I recommend finding out which styles you like best and contacting the artist direct.
@DestinSparks: Beautiful work, absolutely stunning! I've followed you on IG and I can't wait to see more of your work… @parky.au
Holly! Dude, your work is amazing, I loved the highlights of the countries.
Who and why do ur customers pay for landscape photos? Sorry, I sound so stupid, but honestly can’t see a reason why. (Other than magazines but surly they don’t pay the bills, no one buys mags anymore)
Majority of my customers are domestic households, they are bought as art. Occasionally I also sell to commercial customers such as dentists, doctors and hotels.
@DestinSparks: Very interesting! I love AMAs like this - getting an insight into a totally foreign world.
How do you sell to customers and where do you find new ones? Do you sell through a gallery or something, or is it through word of mouth, or do you sell online?
@cuteseal: Currently all of my prints are sold via either word of mouth or online. I put quite a bit of effort into Search Engine Optimisation and relevant keywords. Also, I put my hand up for interviews and articles from businesses in my niche sometimes yielding some sales.
I know that having a physical gallery would be very beneficial for my business and I'm hoping that will happen later down the track. For now, I'm comfortable with where I am and don't want to 'force' the business side of things.
@DestinSparks: build up slowly - excellent business strategy if you ask me. Not that I know anything apart from stories of those which fail (and it's usually over ambition that seems to do it)
@spillmill: Agreed, it's all about keeping a steady pace and not losing the passion for business (at least in my case)
Why would some choose ML over DSLR or visa versa.
The biggest benefit to a Mirrorless system is the smaller size, it's generally lighter and has a smaller footprint for better portability. It's also more discreet if you're shooting things like street photography where you need a candid photo. The downside is that mirrorless systems typically have a more limited range of 'native' lenses. Systems like Sony will allow you to use adapters such as the Metabones but an adapter is not the best way to fit a lens.
DSLR's are larger and generally more ergonomic, the extra space on the body allows for better space between buttons and dials when controlling the camera manually. They have a much larger array of lenses and accessories.
lighter and has a smaller footprint for better portability
I thought that originally but by the time you add the lenses you need the same size bag and are no better off.
If you put a small prime on a mirrorless and carry it around, the difference between that and DSLR is night and day. Check out some of the e-mount pancake primes and you'd be surprised how compact they are - same size or smaller than traditional digital compact cameras.
@gyrex: Agreed. I had Nikon D7000 and single Tamron lens. Was pain to carry it everywhere. Sold it and bought Panasonic Lumix GX85 and carry 3 lens (2 prime), still lighter than Nikon kit. :-)
With Sigma's entry into the market with their native e-mount art lenses (I bought their beautiful 70mm f2.8 Macro e-mount lens), the range is getting a lot better but you're right, the range of Canon lenses is worlds ahead of Sony e-mount at the moment. Also, the price of Sony glass is exorbitant. Take their 70-200mm F2.8 and compare the price of that to Canon's equivalent which is ~50% cheaper - it certainly makes you envy your friend's wallets who are shooting Canon :)
Will you take some photos for me in exchange for exposure?
My IG has 3 followers, one of them is my mum.terrible joke
no boom tish for youIt is a fairly serious question… Do people try to swindle OP for prints?
I commonly get asked for 'free' digital copies of photographs. I kindly remind them the cost of my equipment and the cost of producing the photograph. This is easier with my film photography as each click literally has a calculated value. It's not often I will give away free photographs unless for a good cause.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve been asked to shoot / did you go through with it?
Thankfully I'm not commissioned by anyone so I have complete freedom of creativity. I typically discover places I would like to photograph through travel magazines and social media and then set out to capture them.
Then who do you sell the photos to?
As above, the largest portion of my customer base is domestic home owners, looking for art for their walls. I also sell to some medical practices (dentists, doctors etc) and the hospitality sector, hotel foyers etc.
Congratulations on your endevours. Achieving that level of freedom of creativity in any field and having a successful business is definitely something to be celebrated in my opinion!
What non-DSLR camera would you recommend that takes good quality photos?
Whats your budget and what do you like to photograph? To be honest most sub $300 cameras have more or less been made redundant by the latest camera phones. If I was looking at compact cameras I would look towards the Sony RX100 line, but they're not cheap. There's a camera for every price bracket.
Hello, my budget is anything less than $700. I will mostly be photographing people and scenery.
Take a look at the Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II. In my opinion either the PowerShot range from Canon or the high end Sony compacts will give you some of the best quality images. Models can vary depending on whether you want something to slip in your pocket or need a better zoom.
Unless you specifically need something water/shock proof I'd keep my distance those compact cameras.
Hi Destin, do you know any good landscape photographers down in Victoria (preferably near the tarts valley region)?
Family lost our home in the black Saturday fires and had always thought it would be a nice gift for my folks to get a panoramic photo of the view from our old property as we were on top of a huge hillSorry to hear about the famiky home. Mark Gray springs to mind, but he's more Mornington Peninsula way. Might be worth a try though.
Where do you store your images An average pic with the phase 1 would have to be 100 MB ?
Just looking at the specs are you using the IMX211? I didn't know technology had come this far and can see why your charging what you are for your work.
The RAW files are around 130 MB each, once outputted to TIFF at 16Bit they come in at just under 600 MB. My medium format film files are scanned at 328 Mega Pixels and are 2.41 GB per photo. I usually have 2-3 backups in place. Everything is stored locally, and backed up to a NAS every night. Around once a month I will copy everything to an offsite portable Hard Drive in case of theft/fire and I've just started the slow and arduous process of backing everything up to a cloud server.
I believe the chip is the IMX211 but it's not specified anywhere on my kit.
How do you find the resolution of the 328MP scanned film compared to the 100MP digital file? The scanned resolution is higher but I doubt it has anywhere near the pixel sharpness of the digital back file. In other words what do you think is the digital back resolution required to match the resolution of your scans? 150MP?
There's a big difference between the two. As you guessed, the Digital Back is sharper. Where the transparencies start to lose it is the size of the film grain. I would have more confidence pushing a large film photo than digital though. Grain is just so much more pleasing to the eye than pixels (or lack thereof)
Quite an specific pair of questions:
I have a camera Kodak Medalist II, circa 1957(?), uses 620 film, compatible to 120 film as well. Excellent condition as it was always considered a "precious" camera used with extreme care and caution.
Does it have any real value?
To whom?
How do I sell it?Some friends say is an antique of incredible value.
Some others said is worth nothing or almost nothing.Any suggestions?
Thank you
The good news is that 120 film is still available. It's what I use in my Fuji GX617. Although it is becoming harder to get as many film manufactures are reducing their film lines.
I'm not familiar with the Kodak Medalist II specifically but as with all older 'antique' cameras it becomes a supply and demand thing. There's plenty of them with very few buyers. Yes it's a collectors item but there are still too many of them around to hold 'real value'. Currently you could expect a couple of hundred dollars on eBay (according to Ken Rockwell), but for that, I would personally hang onto it longer.
If you do decide to hang onto it be sure to keep it in a dry/bright place (preferably with silica gel) to ensure mould doesn't develop inside the lens.
Thanks!
What do you think about the Fuji XT-2 , plan to get one to go for holiday , mostly landscape with 23mm lens ? Thanks .
I'm not up to speed on the latest gear but in general Fuji models with the X-Trans sensor are pretty top notch, especially in terms of colour. Their menus and interface have always seemed a little counter intuitive to me but not something you can't learn.
The 23mm is a nice focal length and similar to what I use for landscapes. You'll just need to keep in mind that a fixed focal length can be pretty restrictive. It would also be worth picking up a circular polariser for your trip.
Thanks for advice , will get XT-2 .
Pleasure. Enjoy, I hope you get some good shots.
Wait for the xt3
I can get XT-2 cheaply because of the XT-3 , a few thousands shots for around $800 , I am a ozbargain member ..
If you don't shoot action or video then there is not much benefit to the XT-3. So for mostly landscapes the XT-2 should be fine. Use the extra money on a lens
beautiful photos! I am always a big fan of nature desktop wallpaper. I used to use Microsoft spotlight photos as wallpaper but they only do 1080p. Any chance we can download some 1440p desktop wallpaper? Cheers.
Thank you, a few of my images can be downloaded from https://interfacelift.com/wallpaper/artist/69107/destin/inde… in various resolutions.
Thanks for doing the ama! I have a few questions :)
How much do you make as a professional landscape photographer?
Was the jump from your previous job to a photographer personal fulfillment decision or financial?
What was it like starting out your business?
+1
I am trying to transition from my IT job slowly into photography. Still undecided what kind of photography I want to get into.
Each year varies but I typically sit somewhere between 150k-200k.
My jump to photography certainly wasn't a financial decision at the time. I had basically come to end of my tether with my position and decided enough was enough. Jumping in, it was rather tough living week to week but at that point it was either sink or swim. Starting out was the hardest with lots of the business side of things to learn but it gradually got easier. I've made plenty of mistakes and learnt the hard way.
Sorry, is that 150-200k your revenue or profit (before tax) ?
Revenue, before tax
Have you noticed a shift in how the general public views 'photography' as an art and skill due to the rise of camera phones and instant filter kits on apps like IG?
It has certainly changed in the passed 4-5 years. Instagram has very much become a double edged sword for photography. It has given the general public a greater appreciation for good quality photographs but at the same time it has created so much competition with everyone wanting to be a photographer.
Instagram is also inspiring more people to travel which I have found has boosted my business. I'm often searched via Google by people looking for places they've visited/ are going to visit.
Tell us about the first photo you ever sold and how long had you been shooting before that happened?
Great question. The first photo I sold was a rather cliche shot of Brisbane City taken from the Kangaroo Point Cliffs. I had it sitting on the counter of where I worked and a customer asked me how much for a copy. I had only been dabbling in photography for a couple of months at that point. Not my finest photograph, I've come a long way since then.
Do you claim "holidays" on tax?
Parts of my trips I can claim as deductions but I rarely "holiday".
Nice try ATO!!
I look bad in every single photo that contains me; should I blame:
The photographer?
The equipment?
Environmental factors?
Yourself?
Some photography deity?
Obama?Also, is "projection money" a real thing, or are those dirty little hipsters just trying to intimidate me?
Edit: fixed typo.
Without having seen of your pictures I would probably put it down to lighting and posture. So partially the photographer and yourself. If you honestly want to improve portraits captured of yourself try watching a few Peter Hurley videos. He gives some great advice for posing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey5GOpFlFsU)
Cheers for taking the time to reply, because I was only having a joke and really wasn't expecting it, lol.
In all honesty I do look pretty bad in photos, which is one of the main reasons I avoid them, but it will be interesting to watch the suggested video, regardless.
Some people are just genuinely unphotogenic, as well.
Hate to be 'that guy', but what scanner are you using?
drum scan? high-end flatbed? or are you outsourcing it? (if so, who do you go through? i have a hard time letting a lab do the work for me)I have my own Heidelberg Tango Drum Scanner (previously belonged to Ken Duncan). I've seen good results from the Epson V750 but you will definitely want to wet mount. The Imacons etc don't provide a good result in my opinion.
My scanner is currently out of commission and I am waiting for it to be serviced. I couldn't bring myself to outsource it either but if push comes to shove I would probably look to Nancy Scans or West Coast Imaging both in the US.
With focal lengths like that for landscape, do you stitch shots together? Do you use any specific software ?
I started out stitching but pretty quickly moved to a dedicated Panoramic camera and then to a Medium Format camera and crop the image. The trouble with stitching is there is always something that will move in your image (clouds, water, trees). Plenty of people stitch images though, it's just not for me.
My "go to" focal length is around 21mm but there are always going to be scenes where you want tighter or wider shot.
Great stuff!
Just wondering how exactly this came to be your full time job? Do you have to do anything else outside of Photography to earn $$?
Do you feel you have lost your passion for photography at all being your job?I have won several comps, awards and been offered jobs in the travel photography sector, however I've been hesitant to make it my full time job out of fear of loosing my passion for it. I've had two exhibitions and sold a lot of work, however I sell my work quite cheap, to the point where I have had a few buyers trying to give me double or even triple the amount I charge.
I have considered putting my prices up but I do this more as a hobby and like my work to remain accessible to everyone, but at the same time I feel bad for potentially undercutting people like yourself who do this as a living.
https://www.instagram.com/skaremedia/
http://www.chrisstaring.com/Firstly, great photos Chris. As answered above, I didn't enjoy my previous job, I woke up every morning dreading the next 8 hours. Eventually it got to a point where I couldn't take doing another day and I eventually snapped and quit. Then, without a source of income I put myself into a sink or swim situation and eventually made ends meet. From there, I've just chipped away at little opportunities to make it a full time gig. Although its my only source of income I plan on adding some investment properties down the track in case of illness/injury.
What you've got to realise if you are taking the plunge is; the timing will never be perfect. Sometimes you've just got to close your eyes and hope for the best. If worst comes to worst, could you get your old job back?
I am still very passionate about photography and haven't lost an ounce of it despite putting in some grueling hours to get where I am.
If I was in your position a few years ago with offers of full time photography I would be jumping at the chance. Sure, photographing for someone else isn't the same as photographing your desired subject matter, but it's more about the journey, especially the opportunity that travel photography presents.
I wouldn't worry about undercutting anyone else's photography so long as you're comfortable with what you charge. Each photograph is unique so it's not possible you or I as selling the same thing.
Thanks mate!
Ah, see thats one thing also stopping me jumping into full time photography is that I really like my job (digital designer, developer, animator, video editor etc.).
I noticed I started loosing my passion for photography after doing some small paid gigs and doing some travel/photography articles, its a lot of hard work for sure! So maybe full-time isn't for me, but perhaps part time sometime in the future.
Also just wondering about your Instagram following? How exactly have you gained so many? Was there an event/award/article that boosted you or have they just trickled in over the years? Or do you run paid advertising?
I gain a good chunk of followers every time I win a photography awards/write a photo essay, but outside of that they just trickle in slowly even when I spend hours researching and tagging correctly. I've almost completely given up on Instagram now though now after they ruined it with the algorithm change, I also get annoyed when I see very average photographers with tens/hundreds of thousands of followers or accounts that simply steal and re-post images (which i'm sure happens to you all the time too) :/
Thanks for asking the questions I had in mind, SkMed. I feel as if I can relate quite a bit to you. I love my FT job (Paramedic) but the shift-work life (weekends) and long hours hinder my ability to travel/give enough time to my passion that is photography.
I've only 'just' started dabbing in photography over the last ~6 months using a Sony A6300 but I feel as if I've reached the APS-C's limitations and am looking to upgrade to a Sony A7R III. However, that comes at a great monetary cost which I'm not sure I can justify just yet.
Shameless plug for my IG: https://www.instagram.com/mich.lizt/?hl=en
If you enjoy your job, I wouldn't feel the need to change. At least not at this point in your career. Many people are more than happy keeping photography as just a hobby. Question though, how do you feel doing designs etc for others? I'm assuming you got into it because you were passionate about it, are you still passionate about design? I've actually worked in design but didn't like doing it for others.
Perhaps it was the article side of things you didn't enjoy about travel photography?
Re Instagram, yes that is a hard one. I've tried advertising but that didn't get a great result, I've tried shoutouts, features etc but same thing. Perhaps it's the combination of all things that has pushed me up a bit. I do my fair share of Photography interviews, and things like this AMA that give me a little bump but its never thousands of followers at time. To be honest, I've kind of pushed Instagram to the side and I'm no longer interested in the race to the top. My followers enjoy what I post and that's all that counts.
I have Sony A6000 with 50mm Prime and a 18-200 mm lens ( heavier than the camera). Prime is fine for portraits, but not good for landscapes. Sony also struggles in low light, else is great.
I realized pictures for Social media and family sharing was quite good on mobiles ( S8 + for most and LG G6 for landscape mode).This is resisting me to upgrade to Full frame Sony mirrorless and thinking if it is worth sticking to mirrorless/ DSLR cameras for casual photographers?
Your views?I have the same camera with 5 different lenses for it, i use my pixel 2 more than anything else which is the sad truth. the sony is great with a tripod in low light if things arent moving around
If its low light you're after making the upgrade to full frame isn't going to blow your images out of the water. Yes there are some improvements with low light but they are marginal. As Noophe has suggested, using a tripod will give you the biggest benefit. Being able to slow that shutter speed down the capture more light.
Alternatively, if you want hand held landscape photos in low light, you could look a wide angle lens with a wider aperture (f2.8).
What were you doing prior to full time photography?
And do you consider photography to be 'hard work'? Like does it ever stress you out/keep you up at night?Prior to photography I was in sales. I don't consider photography hard work but then again, I don't really consider photography work because its my passion.
Undoubtedly it has its challenges, but rarely do I find myself being kept awake at night by it.
Do you get frustrated with everyone asking about your camera model number rather than your art?
I wonder if painters are regularly asked what brand of paint they use.
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What gear do you use?
What do you make on average per a job?